Face is in Trouble
by instantchaos
Summary: Face screwed up on a mission and Hannibal is pissed. Murdock and BA aren't in trouble :  Father/Son fic. Pre-movie.  Face is Hannibal's legacy.


A/N: I do not own the A-Team (movie or tv series).

This is my first A-Team fic and I am newly obsessed with it. RIght in time for me to procrastinate studying for exams. R&R please! I love Hannibal and Face together, this one I was going for a kind of father son feel.

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><p>The scorching sun beat down on the necks of the soldiers as they marched across the base, the hot, Iraqi wind blowing clouds of dust into their faces and tugging at tent flaps.<p>

Face swallowed hard, his hands clasped behind his back, sweat pooling in his palms. He tipped his chin up, still standing defiantly as Hannibal paced back and forth in front of him. Murdock and B.A. had already slinked out of line and were sneaking out of the tent. Murdock mouthed a contrite, "Sorry, Facey", as they hurried away.

"Well kid, you've really done it this time." The colonel pulled out a fresh cigar, puffing the smoke into his Lieutenant's face.

Face inhaled the familiar scent and tried to remind himself that Hannibal would never really do anything to hurt him, but his CO was the only officer that had ever made him squirm like this. Sometimes he could swear that Hannibal's ice blue eyes could see right through him, like x-ray vision. "And what exactly have I done, sir?" He asked, his trademark charming grin already on his face.

"You know exactly what, and if I have to ask you one more time, _Lieutenant Peck_, I swear to God…" Hannibal rumbled, his accent getting stronger as his temper rose. He knew pulling rank irked Face, but he wanted to make a point with the kid.

Face shrugged nonchalantly and rolled his eyes, he was getting tired of Hannibal's lectures. "Look boss, I know that maybe I shouldn't have been checking out that girl and yeah, okay. Maybe I got a little distracted, but come on Hannibal…" He was still smiling, hoping that maybe this would all just disappear. Not likely with his boss.

"A little distracted?" Hannibal growled

Face swallowed hard again and instinctively stepped backwards, he couldn't help flinching every time his boss spoke. "Uhh…"

"A little distracted…?" Hannibal stepped forward, his cigar clenched in his teeth, and grabbed Face's shirt, the light blue cotton crushed in his blackened fist. "It was _your_ watch, _our_ lives on the line, and all it takes is a goddamn _miniskirt_. You got distracted, you snuck away on mission time, and you complained about the supplies you were supposed to commandeer."

"It's not like anybody got hurt, Hannibal…" Face's voice trailed off as Hannibal glared down at him, _Oh man, I'm in for it now_, he thought.

"That's right, Face. Nobody got hurt." Hannibal spat, "But what about next time? What if our enemy comes to slit our throats while you're off with another pretty thing? What if the plan doesn't come together because you were too distracted to get the right supplies?" He reached up and grabbed Face by the chin, ignoring the hard flinch and wounded yelp he elicited. "What the hell are you gonna do then?"

Face's eyes slid down to the floor and he swallowed again, trying to bite down the surge of intense fear and emotion that came from imagining his team dead because of him. He felt pathetic, like some kind of wet behind the ears rookie that needed to be taught a lesson. "I... I didn't…"

"You didn't think? That's right, kid. How many times am I gonna have to tell you?" Hannibal turned his most piercing gaze into his Lieutenant, and wrenched his face back up. "Look at me when I am talking to you, Lieutenant."

For a moment, Face was just a kid again, trembling and in trouble, terrified that this foster family was going to send him away too. He looked into Hannibal's eyes, and was surprised to see more disappointment, than rage pooled in the blueness. Somehow that just made him feel even worse. He choked out a whisper, feeling the grip on his jaw loosen a bit. "I'm sorry, sir."

Hannibal suddenly felt a little bad; even though he knew it was a serious transgression, the kid looked like he was about to cry. "There are no excuses for buggering off while you're on watch. I want an extra 3 miles every day before breakfast and no complaining about the jobs you get when we're on a mission." He let go of Face's jaw and released his grip on Face's t-shirt, shoving him backwards lightly. "Is that understood?"

"Yes sir, colonel, sir." Face stumbled back and stood at attention.

Hannibal smirked, and choked back a laugh, it wasn't often you saw Face saluting like that. He wasn't even being sarcastic. "All right, kid. That's enough."

Face sighed in relief and jammed his hands in his pockets.

As Face reached for the tent flap, Hannibal reached out and grabbed his arm. "Hold up a sec, kid. I've got something to say to you."

"Seriously Hannibal? Come on, I thought the lecture was over." He fell silent and winced as Hannibal tightened his grip on his arm.

"I just want you to remember something. Something to keep in mind before you make any more reckless decisions." Hannibal let go of Face and sighed, running his hand through his hair. "You know I see you boys as my family, that I would do anything for you."

"Yeah, boss. I know…" Face said softly, he had no idea where Hannibal was going with this.

"B.A. and Murdock, well, I love them to death, but they've both got their own thing going, you know. They were all right on their own before they met me. You weren't."

Face flinched and crossed his arms, "I was doing fine." He said defensively.

"Yeah right, kid." Hannibal softened his eyes, "My point is, you are my legacy, Face. Of everything I've done, everything I have, you are what I have to show for my life."

Face looked up, taken aback by Hannibal's sudden confession. "Boss..."

"Everything you do is a reflection on me and on this unit. I just want you to think about that the next time a pretty girl comes your way while you're on duty." Hannibal's eyes were a little too shiny as he swung his arm around Face's shoulder, "Now let's go see what Murdock's got cooking."

"You got it, boss." Face blinked back tears of his own as an enormous grin spread across his face, basking in the rare words of praise. He'd always known that Hannibal considered him his son and his protégé, but the Colonel had never actually said it out loud. He sighed in contentment as they walked out of the tent, towards Murdock and BA (who was currently threatening to duct tape the former's mouth shut).

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><p>What'd you think? :D<p> 


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